To offended students
“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech or of the press…” This is from the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
In lieu of the Free Expression Tunnel event that has happened on campus this week, I would like to stress the importance of First Amendment rights to offended students.
I want to first point out that I do not believe that the depiction on the Free Expression Tunnel was appropriate in any way. It was a juvenile act and offensive to many students. However, said student’s depiction is technically protected under his or her First Amendment right.
We, as Americans, have this great protector called the First Amendment, even though most agree that it can be skewed at times. Every day I see many pictures and words that degrade women, sexual orientations and religions. As a woman, I find many of the depictions in the Free Expression Tunnel extremely degrading. Does the University or any other oppressed student start a protest against the Free Expression Tunnel? No. Instead, I keep walking because I recognize that some students have the maturity of a fifth grader and said painting will be covered eventually. Why, all of a sudden, does one picture raise such a controversy? Is race a more important minority than gender, sexual orientation or religion?
Lastly, I believe Chancellor Woodson handled the situation very appropriately. First, this situation was completely blown out of proportion by the offended students. Although insulting, from a practical standpoint the picture was eventually going to be painted over either by the protestors or another student.
In conclusion, American citizens cannot demand freedom of speech and then change our mind when something becomes offensive. Even though the depiction that the student drew was immature, this is the real world. People are free to think, and draw, whatever they would like no matter how wrong or derogatory. Such oppressed students should face this opinion with positive actions, but the Free Expression Tunnel should remain as is.
Gabrielle Kattan
freshman, biological sciences
